Doodley Do #1 - Tackling too many ideas

          I've been bitten by the idea bug on more than one occasion (okay, a lot more).  It gets me into a lot of trouble when it comes to completing projects because there's always another idea waiting just over the horizon begging me to bring it to life.  Anyone who's looked into time management skills will know doing too much at once is far less productive than focusing on one task at a time, but let's be real here.  If you've got an good idea, throwing it on the back burner is like throwing a piece of your soul into a box with a label "Do not open 'til Christmas."  It's there.  You know it is, and it's kill... ing... you.

Soon, my precious.  Soon.

          So what to do?  Well, if you're me, you do what you shouldn't do and work on it anyway!  Ha!  No, but seriously, too much at a time only makes your work suffer and your patience burn out because twenty started projects without one finished is really discouraging.  For me, I've always found the best thing is a list of all the important, must do stuff.  I say this and also point out that I'm a bad list keeper.  I write a list.  Loose it.  Write another list.  Loose that.  Find the first list.  Revise it.  Loose it.  In less than a week my desks are covered in sticky notes, but despite all of that, it somehow keeps me on top of things and when I can strike a line through an item on the list(s), it gives me a little pat on the back to keep going.

          Once enough things are crossed off and I know I'm caught up on deadlines for the week, I'm allowed to work on one of my "back burner projects."  Eventually, those back burner projects will get moved to "the list" (unless they prove themselves not that great), but until then, I can indulge without feeling guilty.

          And if you're really overrun with ideas, keep a list of those ideas, or notebooks, sketchbooks, computer documents, whatever.  Sometimes I'll comb through my "whatevers"and revisit an idea I had years ago just to see if it still has potential.  If it does, it just might get moved up the line.  If not, I know it'll always be there waiting for me to get back to it.  Happy creating!